Newcomer Los Angeles Lakers strike hard against Warriors

It was a preparatory match, let's remember. But as LeBron James sent a powerful shot through the air in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, Los Angeles Lakers fans fervently hoped that it was an avant-garde sign.

As time passed in the first half of the Lakers meeting with the Golden State Warriors at the T-Mobile Arena, James produced an "instant", a kind of thing that only the big ones managed to make easy.

Klay Thompson missed a three-pointer for the Warriors, while there was only six seconds left in the second quarter. Javale McGee caught a rebound unopposed, then found James who had rushed to the left wing, just in front of the center of the field.

These games count for nothing after all. There was only time to go to the basket and all thoughts, of course, seemed to turn to the locker room. His Lakers teammate Brandon Ingram has stopped moving. Thompson stepped back, arms at the sides.

But James was only one thing in mind. Despite being within 40 feet of the basket, he fired a shot, reached out his arm and watched it inevitably flow through the hoop.

New colleague Kentavious Caldwell-Pope immediately kissed him. Lance Stephenson came in for a merry slap in his hand and James replied with an ironic smile that seemed to say, "There is more where it comes from."

Lakerland hopefully.

His shot gave the Lakers a 61-57 lead at the half. James played 18 minutes in the game, scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds in 123-113 victory of the Lakers.